Method for D2D operation performed by terminal in wireless communication system and terminal using the method

ABSTRACT

A method for device-to-device (D2D) operation performed by a terminal in a wireless communication system and a terminal using the method are provided. The method comprises: receiving information related to a D2D resource pool; and performing D2D operation with another terminal from a D2D resource indicated by the information related to the D2D resource pool, wherein the terminal establishes a gap which does not receive a downlink signal transmitted from a serving cell, based on the D2D resource.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the National Phase of PCT International Application No. PCT/KR2014/010376, filed on Oct. 31, 2014, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 61/898,463, filed on Oct. 31, 2013, 61/935,849 filed on Feb. 5, 2014, and 62/035,422 filed on Aug. 9, 2014, all of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference into the present application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to wireless communications, and more particularly, to a method for a device-to-device (D2D) operation performed by a terminal in a wireless communication system, and the terminal using the method.

Related Art

In International Telecommunication Union Radio communication sector (ITU-R), a standardization task for International Mobile Telecommunication (IMT)-Advanced, that is, the next-generation mobile communication system since the third generation, is in progress. IMT-Advanced sets its goal to support Internet Protocol (IP)-based multimedia services at a data transfer rate of 1 Gbps in the stop and slow-speed moving state and of 100 Mbps in the fast-speed moving state.

For example, 3^(rd) Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is a system standard to satisfy the requirements of IMT-Advanced and is preparing for LTE-Advanced improved from Long Term Evolution (LTE) based on Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA)/Single Carrier-Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) transmission schemes. LTE-Advanced is one of strong candidates for IMT-Advanced.

There is a growing interest in a Device-to-Device (D22) technology in which devices perform direct communication. In particular, D2D has been in the spotlight as a communication technology for a public safety network. A commercial communication network is rapidly changing to LTE, but the current public safety network is basically based on the 2G technology in terms of a collision problem with existing communication standards and a cost. Such a technology gap and a need for improved services are leading to efforts to improve the public safety network.

The public safety network has higher service requirements (reliability and security) than the commercial communication network. In particular, if coverage of cellular communication is not affected or available, the public safety network also requires direct communication between devices, that is, D2D operation.

D2D operation may have various advantages in that it is communication between devices in proximity. For example, D2D UE has a high transfer rate and a low delay and may perform data communication. Furthermore, in D2D operation, traffic concentrated on a base station can be distributed. If D2D UE plays the role of a relay, it may also play the role of extending coverage of a base station.

However, a time period called a gap may be necessary for a UE when performing a D2D operation. Herein, the gap may be a time period in which a downlink signal is not received from a network. For example, a UE including only one reception function unit may have to perform the D2D operation through a frequency band different from a frequency band in which communication is currently achieved with the network. In this case, for the D2D operation, the UE may stop downlink signal reception from the network in a part of the time period.

There is a need to determine how to configure the gap by the UE.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method for a device-to-device (D2D) operation performed by a terminal in a wireless communication system, and the terminal using the method.

In one aspect, provided is a method for a device-to-device (D2D) operation performed by a terminal in a wireless communication system. The method includes receiving information regarding a D2D resource pool and performing the D2D operation with respect to another terminal in a D2D resource indicated by the information regarding the D2D resource pool. The terminal configures a gap in which a downlink signal transmitted from a serving cell is not received, on the basis of the D2D resource.

The D2D resource may comprise at least one subframe in a time domain.

The gap may further comprise a subframe comprised in the D2D resource and one subframe each before and after the subframe.

The downlink signal may be a control signal transmitted by the serving cell.

The D2D operation may be D2D signal transmission for D2D communication.

The D2D operation may be D2D signal transmission for D2D discovery.

The method may further comprise the terminal receiving, from the serving cell, gap configuration information indicating whether or not the terminal is allowed to configure the gap.

In another aspect, provided is a terminal performing a device-to-device (D2D) operation in a wireless communication system. The terminal includes a radio frequency (RF) unit for transmitting and receiving a radio signal and a processor operatively coupled to the RF unit. The processor is configured for: receiving information regarding a D2D resource pool and performing the D2D operation with respect to another terminal in a D2D resource indicated by the information regarding the D2D resource pool. The terminal configures a gap in which a downlink signal transmitted from a serving cell is not received, on the basis of the D2D resource.

According to the present invention, a terminal can autonomously configure a gap for a device-to-device (D2D) operation on the basis of a D2D resource provided by a network. A terminal having only one reception function unit can also effectively perform communication with the network and a D2D operation with another terminal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a wireless communication system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 shows a structure of a radio frame.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a resource grid for one downlink slot.

FIG. 4 shows a downlink (DL) subframe structure.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a wireless protocol architecture for a user plane.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a wireless protocol architecture for a control plane.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of UE in the RRC idle state.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a process of establishing RRC connection.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an RRC connection reconfiguration process.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an RRC connection re-establishment procedure.

FIG. 11 illustrates substates which may be owned by UE in the RRC_IDLE state and a substate transition process.

FIG. 12 shows a basic structure for ProSe.

FIG. 13 shows the deployment examples of types of UE performing ProSe direct communication and cell coverage.

FIG. 14 shows a user plane protocol stack for ProSe direct communication.

FIG. 15 shows the PC 5 interface for D2D direct discovery.

FIG. 16 is an embodiment of a ProSe discovery process.

FIG. 17 is another embodiment of a ProSe discovery process.

FIG. 18 shows a method for a D2D operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 shows a D2D operation of a UE according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 shows an example of a D2D resource pool of FIG. 19 and a gap for D2D operation and configured by a UE.

FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing a UE according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a wireless communication system to which the present invention is applied. The wireless communication system may also be referred to as an evolved-UMTS terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) or a long term evolution (LTE)/LTE-A system.

The E-UTRAN includes at least one base station (BS) 20 which provides a control plane and a user plane to a user equipment (UE) 10. The UE 10 may be fixed or mobile, and may be referred to as another terminology, such as a mobile station (MS), a user terminal (UT), a subscriber station (SS), a mobile terminal (MT), a wireless device, etc. The BS 20 is generally a fixed station that communicates with the UE 10 and may be referred to as another terminology, such as an evolved node-B (eNB), a base transceiver system (BTS), an access point, etc.

The BSs 20 are interconnected by means of an X2 interface. The BSs 20 are also connected by means of an S1 interface to an evolved packet core (EPC) 30, more specifically, to a mobility management entity (MME) through S1-MME and to a serving gateway (S-GW) through S1-U.

The EPC 30 includes an MME, an S-GW, and a packet data network-gateway (P-GW). The MME has access information of the UE or capability information of the UE, and such information is generally used for mobility management of the UE. The S-GW is a gateway having an E-UTRAN as an end point. The P-GW is a gateway having a PDN as an end point.

The BS may communicate with the UE by using a radio frame.

FIG. 2 shows a structure of a radio frame.

The radio frame (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a frame) includes 10 subframes, and one subframe includes two consecutive slots.

The frame includes a frequency division duplex (FDD) frame used in an FDD system and a time division duplex (TDD) frame used in a TDD system. In the FDD frame, a downlink subframe and an uplink subframe are present consecutively in different frequency bands. In the TDD frame, a downlink subframe and an uplink subframe are present at different times in the same frequency band.

The subframe includes two slots. Each slot includes a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols in a time domain, and includes a plurality of subcarriers in a frequency domain.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a resource grid for one downlink slot.

Referring to FIG. 3, the downlink slot includes a plurality of OFDM symbols in a time domain, and includes N_(RB) resource blocks (RBs) in a frequency domain. The RB is a resource allocation unit, and includes one slot in the time domain and a plurality of consecutive subcarriers in a frequency domain. Although it is described in FIG. 3 that one RB consists of 7 OFDM symbols in the time domain and 12 subcarriers in the frequency domain and thus includes 7×12 resource elements, this is for exemplary purposes only. Therefore, the number of OFDM symbols and the number of subcarriers in the RB are not limited thereto.

FIG. 4 shows a downlink (DL) subframe structure.

Referring to FIG. 4, a DL subframe is divided into a control region and a data region in a time domain. The control region includes up to three (optionally, up to four) preceding OFDM symbols of a first slot in the subframe. However, the number of OFDM symbols included in the control region may vary. A physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and other control channels may be allocated to the control region, and a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) and a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) may be allocated to the data region.

A physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH) in a 1^(st) OFDM symbol of the subframe carries a control format indicator (CFI) regarding the number of OFDM symbols (i.e., a size of the control region) used for transmission of control channels in the subframe. A physical hybrid-ARQ indicator channel (PHICH) is transmitted in the control region, and carries an acknowledgement (ACK)/not-acknowledgement (NACK) signal for uplink (UL) hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ). That is, a BS transmits the ACK/NACK signal through the PHICH in response to the UL data transmitted by the UE through the PUSCH.

Downlink control information (DCI) is transmitted through the PDCCH. The DCI may include resource allocation of the PDSCH (this is referred to as a downlink (DL) grant), resource allocation of a PUSCH (this is referred to as an uplink (UL) grant), a set of transmit power control commands for individual UEs in any UE group and/or activation of a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP).

Meanwhile, layers of a radio interface protocol between the UE and the network can be classified into a first layer (L1), a second layer (L2), and a third layer (L3) based on the lower three layers of the open system interconnection (OSI) model that is well-known in the communication system. Among them, a physical (PHY) layer belonging to the first layer provides an information transfer service by using a physical channel, and a radio resource control (RRC) layer belonging to the third layer serves to control a radio resource between the UE and the network. For this, the RRC layer exchanges an RRC message between the UE and the BS.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a wireless protocol architecture for a user plane. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a wireless protocol architecture for a control plane. The user plane is a protocol stack for user data transmission. The control plane is a protocol stack for control signal transmission.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, a PHY layer provides an upper layer with an information transfer service through a physical channel. The PHY layer is connected to a medium access control (MAC) layer which is an upper layer of the PHY layer through a transport channel. Data is transferred between the MAC layer and the PHY layer through the transport channel. The transport channel is classified according to how and with what characteristics data is transferred through a radio interface.

Data is moved between different PHY layers, that is, the PHY layers of a transmitter and a receiver, through a physical channel. The physical channel may be modulated according to an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) scheme, and use the time and frequency as radio resources.

The functions of the MAC layer include mapping between a logical channel and a transport channel and multiplexing and demultiplexing to a transport block that is provided through a physical channel on the transport channel of a MAC Service Data Unit (SDU) that belongs to a logical channel. The MAC layer provides service to a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer through the logical channel.

The functions of the RLC layer include the concatenation, segmentation, and reassembly of an RLC SDU. In order to guarantee various types of Quality of Service (QoS) required by a Radio Bearer (RB), the RLC layer provides three types of operation mode: Transparent Mode (TM), Unacknowledged Mode (UM), and Acknowledged Mode (AM). AM RLC provides error correction through an Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ).

The RRC layer is defined only on the control plane. The RRC layer is related to the configuration, reconfiguration, and release of radio bearers, and is responsible for control of logical channels, transport channels, and PHY channels. An RB means a logical route that is provided by the first layer (PHY layer) and the second layers (MAC layer, the RLC layer, and the PDCP layer) in order to transfer data between UE and a network.

The function of a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer on the user plane includes the transfer of user data and header compression and ciphering. The function of the PDCP layer on the user plane further includes the transfer and encryption/integrity protection of control plane data.

What an RB is configured means a process of defining the characteristics of a wireless protocol layer and channels in order to provide specific service and configuring each detailed parameter and operating method. An RB can be divided into two types of a Signaling RB (SRB) and a Data RB (DRB). The SRB is used as a passage through which an RRC message is transmitted on the control plane, and the DRB is used as a passage through which user data is transmitted on the user plane.

If RRC connection is established between the RRC layer of UE and the RRC layer of an E-UTRAN, the UE is in the RRC connected state. If not, the UE is in the RRC idle state.

A downlink transport channel through which data is transmitted from a network to UE includes a broadcast channel (BCH) through which system information is transmitted and a downlink shared channel (SCH) through which user traffic or control messages are transmitted. Traffic or a control message for downlink multicast or broadcast service may be transmitted through the downlink SCH, or may be transmitted through an additional downlink multicast channel (MCH). Meanwhile, an uplink transport channel through which data is transmitted from UE to a network includes a random access channel (RACH) through which an initial control message is transmitted and an uplink shared channel (SCH) through which user traffic or control messages are transmitted.

Logical channels that are placed over the transport channel and that are mapped to the transport channel include a broadcast control channel (BCCH), a paging control channel (PCCH), a common control channel (CCCH), a multicast control channel (MCCH), and a multicast traffic channel (MTCH).

The physical channel includes several OFDM symbols in the time domain and several subcarriers in the frequency domain. One subframe includes a plurality of OFDM symbols in the time domain. An RB is a resources allocation unit, and includes a plurality of OFDM symbols and a plurality of subcarriers. Furthermore, each subframe may use specific subcarriers of specific OFDM symbols (e.g., the first OFDM symbol) of the corresponding subframe for a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), that is, an L1/L2 control channel. A Transmission Time Interval (TTI) is a unit time for subframe transmission.

The RRC state of UE and an RRC connection method are described below.

The RRC state means whether or not the RRC layer of UE is logically connected to the RRC layer of the E-UTRAN. A case where the RRC layer of UE is logically connected to the RRC layer of the E-UTRAN is referred to as an RRC connected state. A case where the RRC layer of UE is not logically connected to the RRC layer of the E-UTRAN is referred to as an RRC idle state. The E-UTRAN may check the existence of corresponding UE in the RRC connected state in each cell because the UE has RRC connection, so the UE may be effectively controlled. In contrast, the E-UTRAN is unable to check UE in the RRC idle state, and a Core Network (CN) manages UE in the RRC idle state in each tracking area, that is, the unit of an area greater than a cell. That is, the existence or non-existence of UE in the RRC idle state is checked only for each large area. Accordingly, the UE needs to shift to the RRC connected state in order to be provided with common mobile communication service, such as voice or data.

When a user first powers UE, the UE first searches for a proper cell and remains in the RRC idle state in the corresponding cell. The UE in the RRC idle state establishes RRC connection with an E-UTRAN through an RRC connection procedure when it is necessary to set up the RRC connection, and shifts to the RRC connected state. A case where UE in the RRC idle state needs to set up RRC connection includes several cases. For example, the cases may include a need to send uplink data for a reason, such as a call attempt by a user, and to send a response message as a response to a paging message received from an E-UTRAN.

A Non-Access Stratum (NAS) layer placed over the RRC layer performs functions, such as session management and mobility management.

In the NAS layer, in order to manage the mobility of UE, two types of states: EPS Mobility Management-REGISTERED (EMM-REGISTERED) and EMM-DEREGISTERED are defined. The two states are applied to UE and the MME. UE is initially in the EMM-DEREGISTERED state. In order to access a network, the UE performs a process of registering it with the corresponding network through an initial attach procedure. If the attach procedure is successfully performed, the UE and the MME become the EMM-REGISTERED state.

In order to manage signaling connection between UE and the EPC, two types of states: an EPS Connection Management (ECM)-IDLE state and an ECM-CONNECTED state are defined. The two states are applied to UE and the MME. When the UE in the ECM-IDLE state establishes RRC connection with the E-UTRAN, the UE becomes the ECM-CONNECTED state. The MME in the ECM-IDLE state becomes the ECM-CONNECTED state when it establishes S1 connection with the E-UTRAN. When the UE is in the ECM-IDLE state, the E-UTRAN does not have information about the context of the UE. Accordingly, the UE in the ECM-IDLE state performs procedures related to UE-based mobility, such as cell selection or cell reselection, without a need to receive a command from a network. In contrast, when the UE is in the ECM-CONNECTED state, the mobility of the UE is managed in response to a command from a network. If the location of the UE in the ECM-IDLE state is different from a location known to the network, the UE informs the network of its corresponding location through a tracking area update procedure.

System information is described below.

System information includes essential information that needs to be known by UE in order for the UE to access a BS. Accordingly, the UE needs to have received all pieces of system information before accessing the BS, and needs to always have the up-to-date system information. Furthermore, the BS periodically transmits the system information because the system information is information that needs to be known by all UEs within one cell. The system information is divided into a Master Information Block (MIB) and a plurality of System Information Blocks (SIBs).

The MIB may include the limited number of parameters which are the most essential and are most frequently transmitted in order to obtain other information from a cell. UE first discovers an MIB after downlink synchronization. The MIB may include information, such as a downlink channel bandwidth, a PHICH configuration, an SFN supporting synchronization and operating as a timing reference, and an eNB transmission antenna configuration. The MIB may be broadcasted on a BCH.

SystemInformationBlockType1 (SIB1) of included SIBs is included in a “SystemInformationBlockType1” message and transmitted. Other SIBs other than the SIB1 are included in a system information message and transmitted. The mapping of the SIBs to the system information message may be flexibly configured by a scheduling information list parameter included in the SIB1. In this case, each SIB is included in a single system information message. Only SIBs having the same scheduling required value (e.g. period) may be mapped to the same system information message. Furthermore, SystemInformationBlockType2 (SIB2) is always mapped to a system information message corresponding to the first entry within the system information message list of a scheduling information list. A plurality of system information messages may be transmitted within the same period. The SIB1 and all of the system information messages are transmitted on a DL-SCH.

In addition to broadcast transmission, in the E-UTRAN, the SIB1 may be channel-dedicated signaling including a parameter set to have the same value as an existing set value. In this case, the SIB1 may be included in an RRC connection re-establishment message and transmitted.

The SIB1 includes information related to UE cell access and defines the scheduling of other SIBs. The SIB1 may include information related to the PLMN identifiers, Tracking Area Code (TAC), and cell ID of a network, a cell barring state indicative of whether a cell is a cell on which UE can camp, a required minimum reception level within a cell which is used as a cell reselection reference, and the transmission time and period of other SIBs.

The SIB2 may include radio resource configuration information common to all types of UE. The SIB2 may include information related to an uplink carrier frequency and uplink channel bandwidth, an RACH configuration, a page configuration, an uplink power control configuration, a sounding reference signal configuration, a PUCCH configuration supporting ACK/NACK transmission, and a PUSCH configuration.

UE may apply a procedure for obtaining system information and for detecting a change of system information to only a PCell. In an SCell, when the corresponding SCell is added, the E-UTRAN may provide all types of system information related to an RRC connection state operation through dedicated signaling. When system information related to a configured SCell is changed, the E-UTRAN may release a considered SCell and add the considered SCell later. This may be performed along with a single RRC connection re-establishment message. The E-UTRAN may set a value broadcast within a considered SCell and other parameter value through dedicated signaling.

UE needs to guarantee the validity of a specific type of system information. Such system information is called required system information. The required system information may be defined as follows.

-   -   If UE is in the RRC_IDLE state: the UE needs to have the valid         version of the MIB and the SIB1 in addition to the SIB2 to SIB8.         This may comply with the support of a considered RAT.     -   If UE is in the RRC connection state: the UE needs to have the         valid version of the MIB, SIB1, and SIB2.

In general, the validity of system information may be guaranteed up to a maximum of 3 hours after being obtained.

In general, service that is provided to UE by a network may be classified into three types as follows. Furthermore, the UE differently recognizes the type of cell depending on what service may be provided to the UE. In the following description, a service type is first described, and the type of cell is described.

-   -   1) Limited service: this service provides emergency calls and an         Earthquake and Tsunami Warning System (ETWS), and may be         provided by an acceptable cell.     -   2) Suitable service: this service means public service for         common uses, and may be provided by a suitable cell (or a normal         cell).     -   3) Operator service: this service means service for         communication network operators. This cell may be used by only         communication network operators, but may not be used by common         users.

In relation to a service type provided by a cell, the type of cell may be classified as follows.

-   -   1) An acceptable cell: this cell is a cell from which UE may be         provided with limited service. This cell is a cell that has not         been barred from a viewpoint of corresponding UE and that         satisfies the cell selection criterion of the UE.     -   2) A suitable cell: this cell is a cell from which UE may be         provided with suitable service. This cell satisfies the         conditions of an acceptable cell and also satisfies additional         conditions. The additional conditions include that the suitable         cell needs to belong to a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) to         which corresponding UE may access and that the suitable cell is         a cell on which the execution of a tracking area update         procedure by the UE is not barred. If a corresponding cell is a         CSG cell, the cell needs to be a cell to which UE may access as         a member of the CSG.     -   3) A barred cell: this cell is a cell that broadcasts         information indicative of a barred cell through system         information.     -   4) A reserved cell: this cell is a cell that broadcasts         information indicative of a reserved cell through system         information.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of UE in the RRC idle state. FIG. 7 illustrates a procedure in which UE that is initially powered on experiences a cell selection process, registers it with a network, and then performs cell reselection if necessary.

Referring to FIG. 7, the UE selects Radio Access Technology (RAT) in which the UE communicates with a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), that is, a network from which the UE is provided with service (S410). Information about the PLMN and the RAT may be selected by the user of the UE, and the information stored in a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) may be used.

The UE selects a cell that has the greatest value and that belongs to cells having measured BS and signal intensity or quality greater than a specific value (cell selection) (S420). In this case, the UE that is powered off performs cell selection, which may be called initial cell selection. A cell selection procedure is described later in detail. After the cell selection, the UE receives system information periodically by the BS. The specific value refers to a value that is defined in a system in order for the quality of a physical signal in data transmission/reception to be guaranteed. Accordingly, the specific value may differ depending on applied RAT.

If network registration is necessary, the UE performs a network registration procedure (S430). The UE registers its information (e.g., an IMSI) with the network in order to receive service (e.g., paging) from the network. The UE does not register it with a network whenever it selects a cell, but registers it with a network when information about the network (e.g., a Tracking Area Identity (TAI)) included in system information is different from information about the network that is known to the UE.

The UE performs cell reselection based on a service environment provided by the cell or the environment of the UE (S440). If the value of the intensity or quality of a signal measured based on a BS from which the UE is provided with service is lower than that measured based on a BS of a neighboring cell, the UE selects a cell that belongs to other cells and that provides better signal characteristics than the cell of the BS that is accessed by the UE. This process is called cell reselection differently from the initial cell selection of the No. 2 process. In this case, temporal restriction conditions are placed in order for a cell to be frequently reselected in response to a change of signal characteristic. A cell reselection procedure is described later in detail.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a process of establishing RRC connection.

UE sends an RRC connection request message that requests RRC connection to a network (S510). The network sends an RRC connection establishment message as a response to the RRC connection request (S520). After receiving the RRC connection establishment message, the UE enters RRC connected mode.

The UE sends an RRC connection establishment complete message used to check the successful completion of the RRC connection to the network (S530).

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an RRC connection reconfiguration process. An RRC connection reconfiguration is used to modify RRC connection. This is used to establish/modify/release RBs, perform handover, and set up/modify/release measurements.

A network sends an RRC connection reconfiguration message for modifying RRC connection to UE (S610). As a response to the RRC connection reconfiguration message, the UE sends an RRC connection reconfiguration complete message used to check the successful completion of the RRC connection reconfiguration to the network (S620).

Hereinafter, a public land mobile network (PLMN) is described.

The PLMN is a network which is disposed and operated by a mobile network operator. Each mobile network operator operates one or more PLMNs. Each PLMN may be identified by a Mobile Country Code (MCC) and a Mobile Network Code (MNC). PLMN information of a cell is included in system information and broadcasted.

In PLMN selection, cell selection, and cell reselection, various types of PLMNs may be considered by the terminal.

Home PLMN (HPLMN): PLMN having MCC and MNC matching with MCC and MNC of a terminal IMSI.

Equivalent HPLMN (EHPLMN): PLMN serving as an equivalent of an HPLMN.

Registered PLMN (RPLMN): PLMN successfully finishing location registration.

Equivalent PLMN (EPLMN): PLMN serving as an equivalent of an RPLMN.

Each mobile service consumer subscribes in the HPLMN. When a general service is provided to the terminal through the HPLMN or the EHPLMN, the terminal is not in a roaming state. Meanwhile, when the service is provided to the terminal through a PLMN except for the HPLMN/EHPLMN, the terminal is in the roaming state. In this case, the PLMN refers to a Visited PLMN (VPLMN).

When UE is initially powered on, the UE searches for available Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMNs) and selects a proper PLMN from which the UE is able to be provided with service. The PLMN is a network that is deployed or operated by a mobile network operator. Each mobile network operator operates one or more PLMNs. Each PLMN may be identified by Mobile Country Code (MCC) and Mobile Network Code (MNC). Information about the PLMN of a cell is included in system information and broadcasted. The UE attempts to register it with the selected PLMN. If registration is successful, the selected PLMN becomes a Registered PLMN (RPLMN). The network may signalize a PLMN list to the UE. In this case, PLMNs included in the PLMN list may be considered to be PLMNs, such as RPLMNs. The UE registered with the network needs to be able to be always reachable by the network. If the UE is in the ECM-CONNECTED state (identically the RRC connection state), the network recognizes that the UE is being provided with service. If the UE is in the ECM-IDLE state (identically the RRC idle state), however, the situation of the UE is not valid in an eNB, but is stored in the MME. In such a case, only the MME is informed of the location of the UE in the ECM-IDLE state through the granularity of the list of Tracking Areas (TAs). A single TA is identified by a Tracking Area Identity (TAI) formed of the identifier of a PLMN to which the TA belongs and Tracking Area Code (TAC) that uniquely expresses the TA within the PLMN.

Thereafter, the UE selects a cell that belongs to cells provided by the selected PLMN and that has signal quality and characteristics on which the UE is able to be provided with proper service.

The following is a detailed description of a procedure of selecting a cell by a terminal.

When power is turned-on or the terminal is located in a cell, the terminal performs procedures for receiving a service by selecting/reselecting a suitable quality cell.

A terminal in an RRC idle state should prepare to receive a service through the cell by always selecting a suitable quality cell. For example, a terminal where power is turned-on just before should select the suitable quality cell to be registered in a network. If the terminal in an RRC connection state enters in an RRC idle state, the terminal should selects a cell for stay in the RRC idle state. In this way, a procedure of selecting a cell satisfying a certain condition by the terminal in order to be in a service idle state such as the RRC idle state refers to cell selection. Since the cell selection is performed in a state that a cell in the RRC idle state is not currently determined, it is important to select the cell as rapid as possible. Accordingly, if the cell provides a wireless signal quality of a predetermined level or greater, although the cell does not provide the best wireless signal quality, the cell may be selected during a cell selection procedure of the terminal.

A method and a procedure of selecting a cell by a terminal in a 3GPP LTE is described with reference to 3GPP TS 36.304 V8.5.0 (2009-03) “User Equipment (UE) procedures in idle mode (Release 8)”.

A cell selection process is basically divided into two types.

The first is an initial cell selection process. In this process, UE does not have preliminary information about a wireless channel. Accordingly, the UE searches for all wireless channels in order to find out a proper cell. The UE searches for the strongest cell in each channel. Thereafter, if the UE has only to search for a suitable cell that satisfies a cell selection criterion, the UE selects the corresponding cell.

Next, the UE may select the cell using stored information or using information broadcasted by the cell. Accordingly, cell selection may be fast compared to an initial cell selection process. If the UE has only to search for a cell that satisfies the cell selection criterion, the UE selects the corresponding cell. If a suitable cell that satisfies the cell selection criterion is not retrieved though such a process, the UE performs an initial cell selection process.

The cell selection criterion may be defined as below equation 1. Srxlev>0 AND Squal>0  [Equation 1] where: Srxlev=Q _(rxlevmeas)−(Q _(rxlevmin) +Q _(rxlevminoffset))−Pcompensation Squal=Q _(qualmeas)−(Q _(qualmin) +Q _(qualminoffset))

Here, the variables in the equation 1 may be defined as below table 1.

TABLE 1 Srxlev Cell selection RX level value (dB) Squal Cell selection quality value (dB) Q_(rxlevmeas) Measured cell RX level value (RSRP) Q_(qualmeas) Measured cell quality value (RSRQ) Q_(rxlevmin) Minimum required RX level in the cell (dBm) Q_(qualmin) Minimum required quality level in the cell (dB) Q_(rxlevminoffset) Offset to the signalled Q_(rxlevmin) taken into account in the Srxlev evaluation as a result of a periodic search for a higher priority PLMN while camped normally in a VPLMN Q_(qualminoffset) Offset to the signalled Q_(qualmin) taken into account in the Squal evaluation as a result of a periodic search for a higher priority PLMN while camped normally in a VPLMN Pcompensation max(P_(EMAX) − P_(PowerClass), 0) (dB) P_(EMAX) Maximum TX power level an UE may use when transmitting on the uplink in the cell (dBm) defined as P_(EMAX) in [TS 36.101] P_(PowerClass) Maximum RF output power of the UE (dBm) according to the UE power class as defined in [TS 36.101]

Signalled values, i.e., Q_(rxlevminoffset) and Q_(qualminoffset), may be applied to a case where cell selection is evaluated as a result of periodic search for a higher priority PLMN during a UE camps on a normal cell in a VPLMN. During the periodic search for the higher priority PLMN as described above, the UE may perform the cell selection evaluation by using parameter values stored in other cells of the higher priority PLMN.

After the UE selects a specific cell through the cell selection process, the intensity or quality of a signal between the UE and a BS may be changed due to a change in the mobility or wireless environment of the UE. Accordingly, if the quality of the selected cell is deteriorated, the UE may select another cell that provides better quality. If a cell is reselected as described above, the UE selects a cell that provides better signal quality than the currently selected cell. Such a process is called cell reselection. In general, a basic object of the cell reselection process is to select a cell that provides UE with the best quality from a viewpoint of the quality of a radio signal.

In addition to the viewpoint of the quality of a radio signal, a network may determine priority corresponding to each frequency, and may inform the UE of the determined priorities. The UE that has received the priorities preferentially takes into consideration the priorities in a cell reselection process compared to a radio signal quality criterion.

As described above, there is a method of selecting or reselecting a cell according to the signal characteristics of a wireless environment. In selecting a cell for reselection when a cell is reselected, the following cell reselection methods may be present according to the RAT and frequency characteristics of the cell.

-   -   Intra-frequency cell reselection: UE reselects a cell having the         same center frequency as that of RAT, such as a cell on which         the UE camps on.     -   Inter-frequency cell reselection: UE reselects a cell having a         different center frequency from that of RAT, such as a cell on         which the UE camps on     -   Inter-RAT cell reselection: UE reselects a cell that uses RAT         different from RAT on which the UE camps

The principle of a cell reselection process is as follows.

First, UE measures the quality of a serving cell and neighbor cells for cell reselection.

Second, cell reselection is performed based on a cell reselection criterion. The cell reselection criterion has the following characteristics in relation to the measurements of a serving cell and neighbor cells.

Intra-frequency cell reselection is basically based on ranking. Ranking is a task for defining a criterion value for evaluating cell reselection and numbering cells using criterion values according to the size of the criterion values. A cell having the best criterion is commonly called the best-ranked cell. The cell criterion value is based on the value of a corresponding cell measured by UE, and may be a value to which a frequency offset or cell offset has been applied, if necessary.

Inter-frequency cell reselection is based on frequency priority provided by a network. UE attempts to camp on a frequency having the highest frequency priority. A network may provide frequency priority that will be applied by UEs within a cell in common through broadcasting signaling, or may provide frequency-specific priority to each UE through UE-dedicated signaling. A cell reselection priority provided through broadcast signaling may refer to a common priority. A cell reselection priority for each terminal set by a network may refer to a dedicated priority. If receiving the dedicated priority, the terminal may receive a valid time associated with the dedicated priority together. If receiving the dedicated priority, the terminal starts a validity timer set as the received valid time together therewith. While the valid timer is operated, the terminal applies the dedicated priority in the RRC idle mode. If the valid timer is expired, the terminal discards the dedicated priority and again applies the common priority.

For the inter-frequency cell reselection, a network may provide UE with a parameter (e.g., a frequency-specific offset) used in cell reselection for each frequency.

For the intra-frequency cell reselection or the inter-frequency cell reselection, a network may provide UE with a Neighboring Cell List (NCL) used in cell reselection. The NCL includes a cell-specific parameter (e.g., a cell-specific offset) used in cell reselection.

For the intra-frequency or inter-frequency cell reselection, a network may provide UE with a cell reselection black list used in cell reselection. The UE does not perform cell reselection on a cell included in the black list.

Ranking performed in a cell reselection evaluation process is described below.

A ranking criterion used to apply priority to a cell is defined as in Equation 1. Rs=Qmeas,s+Qhyst,Rn=Qmeas,s−Qoffset  [Equation 2]

In this case, Rs is the ranking criterion of a serving cell, Rn is the ranking criterion of a neighbor cell, Qmeas,s is the quality value of the serving cell measured by UE, Qmeas,n is the quality value of the neighbor cell measured by UE, Qhyst is the hysteresis value for ranking, and Qoffset is an offset between the two cells.

In Intra-frequency, if UE receives an offset “Qoffsets,n” between a serving cell and a neighbor cell, Qoffset=Qoffsets,n. If UE does not Qoffsets,n, Qoffset=0.

In Inter-frequency, if UE receives an offset “Qoffsets,n” for a corresponding cell, Qoffset=Qoffsets,n+Qfrequency. If UE does not receive “Qoffsets,n”, Qoffset=Qfrequency.

If the ranking criterion Rs of a serving cell and the ranking criterion Rn of a neighbor cell are changed in a similar state, ranking priority is frequency changed as a result of the change, and UE may alternately reselect the twos. Qhyst is a parameter that gives hysteresis to cell reselection so that UE is prevented from to alternately reselecting two cells.

UE measures RS of a serving cell and Rn of a neighbor cell according to the above equation, considers a cell having the greatest ranking criterion value to be the best-ranked cell, and reselects the cell.

In accordance with the criterion, it may be checked that the quality of a cell is the most important criterion in cell reselection. If a reselected cell is not a suitable cell, UE excludes a corresponding frequency or a corresponding cell from the subject of cell reselection.

A Radio Link Failure (RLF) is described below.

UE continues to perform measurements in order to maintain the quality of a radio link with a serving cell from which the UE receives service. The UE determines whether or not communication is impossible in a current situation due to the deterioration of the quality of the radio link with the serving cell. If communication is almost impossible because the quality of the serving cell is too low, the UE determines the current situation to be an RLF.

If the RLF is determined, the UE abandons maintaining communication with the current serving cell, selects a new cell through cell selection (or cell reselection) procedure, and attempts RRC connection re-establishment with the new cell.

In the specification of 3GPP LTE, the following examples are taken as cases where normal communication is impossible.

-   -   A case where UE determines that there is a serious problem in         the quality of a downlink communication link (a case where the         quality of a PCell is determined to be low while performing RLM)         based on the radio quality measured results of the PHY layer of         the UE     -   A case where uplink transmission is problematic because a random         access procedure continues to fail in the MAC sublayer.     -   A case where uplink transmission is problematic because uplink         data transmission continues to fail in the RLC sublayer.     -   A case where handover is determined to have failed.     -   A case where a message received by UE does not pass through an         integrity check.

An RRC connection re-establishment procedure is described in more detail below.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an RRC connection re-establishment procedure.

Referring to FIG. 10, UE stops using all the radio bearers that have been configured other than a Signaling Radio Bearer (SRB) #0, and initializes a variety of kinds of sublayers of an Access Stratum (AS) (S710). Furthermore, the UE configures each sublayer and the PHY layer as a default configuration. In this process, the UE maintains the RRC connection state.

The UE performs a cell selection procedure for performing an RRC connection reconfiguration procedure (S720). The cell selection procedure of the RRC connection re-establishment procedure may be performed in the same manner as the cell selection procedure that is performed by the UE in the RRC idle state, although the UE maintains the RRC connection state.

After performing the cell selection procedure, the UE determines whether or not a corresponding cell is a suitable cell by checking the system information of the corresponding cell (S730). If the selected cell is determined to be a suitable E-UTRAN cell, the UE sends an RRC connection re-establishment request message to the corresponding cell (S740).

Meanwhile, if the selected cell is determined to be a cell that uses RAT different from that of the E-UTRAN through the cell selection procedure for performing the RRC connection re-establishment procedure, the UE stops the RRC connection re-establishment procedure and enters the RRC idle state (S750).

The UE may be implemented to finish checking whether the selected cell is a suitable cell through the cell selection procedure and the reception of the system information of the selected cell. To this end, the UE may drive a timer when the RRC connection re-establishment procedure is started. The timer may be stopped if it is determined that the UE has selected a suitable cell. If the timer expires, the UE may consider that the RRC connection re-establishment procedure has failed, and may enter the RRC idle state. Such a timer is hereinafter called an RLF timer. In UFE spec TS 36.331, a timer named “T311” may be used as an RLF timer. The UE may obtain the set value of the timer from the system information of the serving cell.

If an RRC connection re-establishment request message is received from the UE and the request is accepted, a cell sends an RRC connection re-establishment message to the UE.

The UE that has received the RRC connection re-establishment message from the cell reconfigures a PDCP sublayer and an RLC sublayer with an SRB1. Furthermore, the UE calculates various key values related to security setting, and reconfigures a PDCP sublayer responsible for security as the newly calculated security key values. Accordingly, the SRB 1 between the UE and the cell is open, and the UE and the cell may exchange RRC control messages. The UE completes the restart of the SRB1, and sends an RRC connection re-establishment complete message indicative of that the RRC connection re-establishment procedure has been completed to the cell (S760).

In contrast, if the RRC connection re-establishment request message is received from the UE and the request is not accepted, the cell sends an RRC connection re-establishment reject message to the UE.

If the RRC connection re-establishment procedure is successfully performed, the cell and the UE perform an RRC connection reconfiguration procedure. Accordingly, the UE recovers the state prior to the execution of the RRC connection re-establishment procedure, and the continuity of service is guaranteed to the upmost.

FIG. 11 illustrates substates which may be owned by UE in the RRC_IDLE state and a substate transition process.

Referring to FIG. 11, UE performs an initial cell selection process (S801). The initial cell selection process may be performed when there is no cell information stored with respect to a PLMN or if a suitable cell is not discovered.

If a suitable cell is unable to be discovered in the initial cell selection process, the UE transits to any cell selection state (S802). The any cell selection state is the state in which the UE has not camped on a suitable cell and an acceptable cell and is the state in which the UE attempts to discover an acceptable cell of a specific PLMN on which the UE may camp. If the UE has not discovered any cell on which it may camp, the UE continues to stay in the any cell selection state until it discovers an acceptable cell.

If a suitable cell is discovered in the initial cell selection process, the UE transits to a normal camp state (S803). The normal camp state refers to the state in which the UE has camped on the suitable cell. In this state, the UE may select and monitor a paging channel based on information provided through system information and may perform an evaluation process for cell reselection.

If a cell reselection evaluation process (S804) is caused in the normal camp state (S803), the UE performs a cell reselection evaluation process (S804). If a suitable cell is discovered in the cell reselection evaluation process (S804), the UE transits to the normal camp state (S803) again.

If an acceptable cell is discovered in the any cell selection state (S802), the UE transmits to any cell camp state (S805). The any cell camp state is the state in which the UE has camped on the acceptable cell.

In the any cell camp state (S805), the UE may select and monitor a paging channel based on information provided through system information and may perform the evaluation process (S806) for cell reselection. If an acceptable cell is not discovered in the evaluation process (S806) for cell reselection, the UE transits to the any cell selection state (S802).

Now, a device-to-device (D2D) operation is described. In 3GPP LTE-A, a service related to the D2D operation is called a proximity service (ProSe). Now, the ProSe is described. Hereinafter, the ProSe is the same concept as the D2D operation, and the ProSe and the D2D operation may be used without distinction.

The ProSe includes ProSe direction communication and ProSe direct discovery. The ProSe direct communication is communication performed between two or more proximate UEs. The UEs may perform communication by using a protocol of a user plane. A ProSe-enabled UE implies a UE supporting a procedure related to a requirement of the ProSe. Unless otherwise specified, the ProSe-enabled UE includes both of a public safety UE and a non-public safety UE. The public safety UE is a UE supporting both of a function specified for a public safety and a ProSe procedure, and the non-public safety UE is a UE supporting the ProSe procedure and not supporting the function specified for the public safety.

ProSe direct discovery is a process for discovering another ProSe-enabled UE adjacent to ProSe-enabled UE. In this case, only the capabilities of the two types of ProSe-enabled UE are used. EPC-level ProSe discovery means a process for determining, by an EPC, whether the two types of ProSe-enabled UE are in proximity and notifying the two types of ProSe-enabled UE of the proximity.

Hereinafter, for convenience, the ProSe direct communication may be referred to as D2D communication, and the ProSe direct discovery may be referred to as D2D discovery.

FIG. 12 shows a basic structure for ProSe.

Referring to FIG. 12, the basic structure for ProSe includes an E-UTRAN, an EPC, a plurality of types of UE including a ProSe application program, a ProSe application server (a ProSe APP server), and a ProSe function.

The EPC represents an E-UTRAN core network configuration. The EPC may include an MME, an S-GW, a P-GW, a policy and charging rules function (PCRF), a home subscriber server (HSS) and so on.

The ProSe APP server is a user of a ProSe capability for producing an application function. The ProSe APP server may communicate with an application program within UF. The application program within UE may use a ProSe capability for producing an application function.

The ProSe function may include at least one of the followings, but is not necessarily limited thereto.

-   -   Interworking via a reference point toward the 3rd party         applications     -   Authorization and configuration of UE for discovery and direct         communication     -   Enable the functionality of EPC level ProSe discovery     -   ProSe related new subscriber data and handling of data storage,         and also handling of the ProSe identities     -   Security related functionality     -   Provide control towards the EPC for policy related functionality     -   Provide functionality for charging (via or outside of the EPC,         e.g., offline charging)

A reference point and a reference interface in the basic structure for ProSe are described below.

-   -   PC1: a reference point between the ProSe application program         within the UE and the ProSe application program within the ProSe         APP server. This is used to define signaling requirements in an         application dimension.     -   PC2: a reference point between the ProSe APP server and the         ProSe function. This is used to define an interaction between         the ProSe APP server and the ProSe function. The update of         application data in the ProSe database of the ProSe function may         be an example of the interaction.     -   PC3: a reference point between the UE and the ProSe function.         This is used to define an interaction between the UE and the         ProSe function. A configuration for ProSe discovery and         communication may be an example of the interaction.     -   PC4: a reference point between the EPC and the ProSe function.         This is used to define an interaction between the EPC and the         ProSe function. The interaction may illustrate the time when a         path for 1:1 communication between types of UE is set up or the         time when ProSe service for real-time session management or         mobility management is authenticated.     -   PC5: a reference point used for using control/user plane for         discovery and communication, relay, and 1:1 communication         between types of UE.     -   PC6: a reference point for using a function, such as ProSe         discovery, between users belonging to different PLMNs.     -   SGi: this may be used to exchange application data and types of         application dimension control information.

<ProSe Direct Communication>

ProSe direct communication is communication mode in which two types of public safety UE can perform direct communication through a PC 5 interface. Such communication mode may be supported when UE is supplied with services within coverage of an E-UTRAN or when UE deviates from coverage of an E-UTRAN.

FIG. 13 shows the deployment examples of types of UE performing ProSe direct communication and cell coverage.

Referring to FIG. 13(a), types of UE A and B may be placed outside cell coverage. Referring to FIG. 13(b), UE A may be placed within cell coverage, and UE B may be placed outside cell coverage. Referring to FIG. 13(c), types of UE A and B may be placed within single cell coverage. Referring to FIG. 13(d), UE A may be placed within coverage of a first cell, and UE B may be placed within coverage of a second cell.

ProSe direct communication may be performed between types of UE placed at various positions as in FIG. 10.

Meanwhile, the following IDs may be used in ProSe direct communication.

A source layer-2 ID: this ID identifies the sender of a packet in the PC 5 interface.

A destination layer-2 ID: this ID identifies the target of a packet in the PC 5 interface.

An SA L1 ID: this ID is the ID of scheduling assignment (SA) in the PC 5 interface.

FIG. 14 shows a user plane protocol stack for ProSe direct communication.

Referring to FIG. 14, the PC 5 interface includes a PDCH, RLC, MAC, and PHY layers.

In ProSe direct communication, HARQ feedback may not be present. An MAC header may include a source layer-2 ID and a destination layer-2 ID.

<Radio Resource Assignment for ProSe Direct Communication>

ProSe-enabled UE may use the following two types of mode for resource assignment for ProSe direct communication.

1. Mode 1

Mode 1 is mode in which resources for ProSe direct communication are scheduled by an eNB. UE needs to be in the RRC_CONNECTED state in order to send data in accordance with mode 1. The UE requests a transmission resource from an eNB. The eNB performs scheduling assignment and schedules resources for sending data. The UE may send a scheduling request to the eNB and send a ProSe Buffer Status Report (BSR). The eNB has data to be subjected to ProSe direct communication by the UE based on the ProSe BSR and determines that a resource for transmission is required.

2. Mode 2

Mode 2 is mode in which UE directly selects a resource. UE directly selects a resource for ProSe direct communication in a resource pool. The resource pool may be configured by a network or may have been previously determined.

Meanwhile, if UE has a serving cell, that is, if the UE is in the RRC_CONNECTED state with an eNB or is placed in a specific cell in the RRC_IDLE state, the UE is considered to be placed within coverage of the eNB.

If UE is placed outside coverage, only mode 2 may be applied. If the UE is placed within the coverage, the UE may use mode 1 or mode 2 depending on the configuration of an eNB.

If another exception condition is not present, only when an eNB performs a configuration, UE may change mode from mode 1 to mode 2 or from mode 2 to mode 1.

<ProSe Direct Discovery>

ProSe direct discovery refers to a procedure that is used for ProSe-enabled UE to discover another ProSe-enabled UE in proximity and is also called D2D direct discovery. In this case, E-UTRA radio signals through the PC 5 interface may be used. Information used in ProSe direct discovery is hereinafter called discovery information.

FIG. 15 shows the PC 5 interface for D2D direct discovery.

Referring to FIG. 15, the PC 5 interface includes an MAC layer, a PHY layer, and a ProSe Protocol layer, that is, a higher layer. The higher layer (the ProSe Protocol) handles the permission of the announcement and monitoring of discovery information. The contents of the discovery information are transparent to an access stratum (AS). The ProSe Protocol transfers only valid discovery information to the AS for announcement.

The MAC layer receives discovery information from the higher layer (the ProSe Protocol). An IP layer is not used to send discovery information. The MAC layer determines a resource used to announce discovery information received from the higher layer. The MAC layer produces an MAC protocol data unit (PDU) for carrying discovery information and sends the MAC PDU to the physical layer. An MAC header is not added.

In order to announce discovery information, there are two types of resource assignment.

1. Type 1

The type 1 is a method for assigning a resource for announcing discovery information in a UE-not-specific manner. An eNB provides a resource pool configuration for discovery information announcement to types of UE. The configuration may be signaled through the SIB.

UE autonomously selects a resource from an indicated resource pool and announces discovery information using the selected resource. The UE may announce the discovery information through a randomly selected resource during each discovery period.

2. Type 2

The type 2 is a method for assigning a resource for announcing discovery information in a UE-specific manner. UE in the RRC_CONNECTED state may request a resource for discovery signal announcement from an eNB through an RRC signal. The eNB may announce a resource for discovery signal announcement through an RRC signal. A resource for discovery signal monitoring may be assigned within a resource pool configured for types of UE.

An eNB 1) may announce a type 1 resource pool for discovery signal announcement to UE in the RRC_IDLE state through the SIB. Types of UE whose ProSe direct discovery has been permitted use the type 1 resource pool for discovery information announcement in the RRC_IDLE state. Alternatively, the eNB 2) announces that the eNB supports ProSe direct discovery through the SIB, but may not provide a resource for discovery information announcement. In this case, UE needs to enter the RRC_CONNECTED state for discovery information announcement.

An eNB may configure that UE has to use a type 1 resource pool for discovery information announcement or has to use a type 2 resource through an RRC signal in relation to UE in the RRC_CONNECTED state.

FIG. 16 is an embodiment of a ProSe discovery process.

Referring to FIG. 16, it is assumed that UE A and UE B have ProSe-enabled application programs managed therein and have been configured to have a ‘friend’ relation between them in the application programs, that is, a relationship in which D2D communication may be permitted between them. Hereinafter, the UE B may be represented as a ‘friend’ of the UE A. The application program may be, for example, a social networking program. ‘3GPP Layers’ correspond to the functions of an application program for using ProSe discovery service, which have been defined by 3GPP.

Direct discovery between the types of UE A and B may experience the following process.

1. First, the UE A performs regular application layer communication with the APP server. The communication is based on an Application Program Interface (API).

2. The ProSe-enabled application program of the UE A receives a list of application layer IDs having a ‘friend’ relation. In general, the application layer ID may have a network access ID form. For example, the application layer ID of the UE A may have a form, such as “adam@example.com.”

3. The UE A requests private expressions code for the user of the UE A and private representation code for a friend of the user.

4. The 3GPP layers send a representation code request to the ProSe server.

5. The ProSe server maps the application layer IDs, provided by an operator or a third party APP server, to the private representation code. For example, an application layer ID, such as adam@example.com, may be mapped to private representation code, such as “GTER543$#2FSJ67DFSF.” Such mapping may be performed based on parameters (e.g., a mapping algorithm, a key value and so on) received from the APP server of a network.

6. The ProSe server sends the types of derived representation code to the 3GPP layers. The 3GPP layers announce the successful reception of the types of representation code for the requested application layer ID to the ProSe-enabled application program. Furthermore, the 3GPP layers generate a mapping table between the application layer ID and the types of representation code.

7. The ProSe-enabled application program requests the 3GPP layers to start a discovery procedure. That is, the ProSe-enabled application program requests the 3GPP layers to start discovery when one of provided ‘friends’ is placed in proximity to the UE A and direct communication is possible. The 3GPP layers announces the private representation code (i.e., in the above example, “GTER543$#2FSJ67DFSF”, that is, the private representation code of adam@example.com) of the UE A. This is hereinafter called ‘announcement’. Mapping between the application layer ID of the corresponding application program and the private representation code may be known to only ‘friends’ which have previously received such a mapping relation, and the ‘friends’ may perform such mapping.

8. It is assumed that the UE B operates the same ProSe-enabled application program as the UE A and has executed the aforementioned 3 to 6 steps. The 3GPP layers placed in the UE B may execute ProSe discovery.

9. When the UE B receives the aforementioned ‘announce’ from the UE A, the UE B determines whether the private representation code included in the ‘announce’ is known to the UE B and whether the private representation code is mapped to the application layer ID. As described the 8 step, since the UE B has also executed the 3 to 6 steps, it is aware of the private representation code, mapping between the private representation code and the application layer ID, and corresponding application program of the UE A. Accordingly, the UE B may discover the UE A from the ‘announce’ of the UE A. The 3GPP layers announce that adam@example.com has been discovered to the ProSe-enabled application program within the UE B.

In FIG. 16, the discovery procedure has been described by taking into consideration all of the types of UE A and B, the ProSe server, the APP server and so on. From the viewpoint of the operation between the types of UE A and B, the UE A sends (this process may be called announcement) a signal called announcement, and the UE B receives the announce and discovers the UE A. That is, from the aspect that an operation that belongs to operations performed by types of UE and that is directly related to another UE is only step, the discovery process of FIG. 16 may also be called a single step discovery procedure.

FIG. 17 is another embodiment of a ProSe discovery process.

In FIG. 17, types of UE 1 to 4 are assumed to types of UE included in specific group communication system enablers (GCSE) group. It is assumed that the UE 1 is a discoverer and the types of UE 2, 3, and 4 are discoveree. UE 5 is UE not related to the discovery process.

The UE 1 and the UE 2-4 may perform a next operation in the discovery process.

First, the UE 1 broadcasts a target discovery request message (may be hereinafter abbreviated as a discovery request message or M1) in order to discover whether specific UE included in the GCSE group is in proximity. The target discovery request message may include the unique application program group ID or layer-2 group ID of the specific GCSE group. Furthermore, the target discovery request message may include the unique ID, that is, application program private ID of the UE 1. The target discovery request message may be received by the types of UE 2, 3, 4, and 5.

The UE 5 sends no response message. In contrast, the types of UE 2, 3, and 4 included in the GCSE group send a target discovery response message (may be hereinafter abbreviated as a discovery response message or M2) as a response to the target discovery request message. The target discovery response message may include the unique application program private ID of UE sending the message.

An operation between types of UE in the ProSe discovery process described with reference to FIG. 17 is described below. The discoverer (the UE 1) sends a target discovery request message and receives a target discovery response message, that is, a response to the target discovery request message. Furthermore, when the discoveree (e.g., the UE 2) receives the target discovery request message, it sends a target discovery response message, that is, a response to the target discovery request message. Accordingly, each of the types of UE performs the operation of the 2 step. In this aspect, the ProSe discovery process of FIG. 14 may be called a 2-step discovery procedure.

In addition to the discovery procedure described in FIG. 17, if the UE 1 (the discoverer) sends a discovery conform message (may be hereinafter abbreviated as an M3), that is, a response to the target discovery response message, this may be called a 3-step discovery procedure.

Now, the present invention is described.

A (one-time or repetitive) D2D operation between UEs may be performed by triggering. According to a device characteristic/capability of the UE, the UE may not be able to perform communication with a current serving cell and the D2D operation at the same time. In this case, in order for the UE to perform the D2D operation, the UE may need to perform the D2D operation or a procedure related to the D2D operation by temporarily stopping communication with the serving cell during a specific time period.

In order to allow the UE to temporarily stop the communication with the serving cell for the D2D operation, the network may allocate the specific time period to the UE. Alternatively, the network may transmit to the UE an indicator for allowing the UE to temporarily stop the communication with the serving cell for the D2D operation. The UE may not monitor a control signal (e.g., a PDCCH) transmitted by the serving cell in the specific time period.

In the specific time period, the UE may perform the following operation instead of monitoring the control signal transmitted by the network (or while being temporarily disconnected from the network).

The UE may monitor a D2D signal transmitted by a different UE or may transmit the D2D signal to the different UE. The D2D signal may be a signal determined in each of the aforementioned D2D communication and D2D discovery. That is, in the specific time period, the UE may transmit/receive a signal for the D2D operation. In the specific time period, the UE may perform only the D2D discovery or may perform only the D2D communication or may perform both of them.

Hereinafter, the specific time period is referred to as a gap for D2D operation or simply a gap.

FIG. 18 shows a method for a D2D operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 18, a UE 1 may transmit a gap request message to a network (S181).

The UE may request the network to configure a gap for D2D operation, that is, a specific time period. Information for requesting the gap for D2D operation is hereinafter called gap request information. The UE may transmit the gap request information to the network through an RRC message. For example, the gap request information may be included in the RRC message for informing the network that the UE intends to perform the D2D operation. For another example, upon receiving the RRC message for informing the network that the UE intends to perform the D2D operation at an indicated specific frequency, the serving cell may determine whether the gap is necessary when the UE performs the D2D operation in the indicated frequency by considering capability reported by the UE. For another example, the gap request information may be included in a measurement report.

It may also be expressed that, in step S181, the gap request message (RRC message) is triggered when the UE needs to request the gap for D2D operation.

The gap request information may include a time period preferred by the UE and predicted to be necessary for a complete D2D operation. That is, the UE may simply request the network for the gap for D2D operation, but may also request for the gap for D2D operation while informing the network about the time period preferred by the UE.

The gap request information may further include a variety of information.

For example, the gap request information may include a field (called a proximity indication field) indicating information for a location of a target UE which is a target of the D2D operation. The proximity indication field may inform a correct location of the target UE, or may inform only a specific corresponding location in a predetermined range. For example, the proximity indication field may consist of 2 bits, and if the proximity of the UE is classified into three levels such as ‘very close’, ‘medium’, and ‘far’, a value of the proximity indication field and each level may be mapped as shown in the following table.

TABLE 2 value of prixmity indication field meaning 00 N/A 01 very close 10 medium 11 far

Information for the location of the target UE may be used by the network to determine a transmission power value used to transmit a D2D signal for a UE which intends to perform the D2D operation, or may be used to determine a time period required for the gap for D2D operation.

Upon receiving the gap request information from the UE, the network may stop downlink resource allocation for the UE during a specific time period, and may store downlink traffic (if exists) for the UE in a buffer (S182).

Thereafter, the network transmits the gap configuration information to the UE (S183). Herein, the gap configuration information implies information for configuring the gap for D2D operation.

The gap configuration information may be transmitted through an RRC message. The gap configuration message may be included in a measurement configuration.

In the gap configuration information, the gap for D2D operation may be indicated in various manners.

For example, the gap for D2D operation may be indicated by the number of any subframes. Alternatively, any one value (e.g., K) may be indicated among the predetermined limited number of values (e.g., K, L, M, where K, L, M are natural numbers), and the number of subframes corresponding to the indicated value may be used as the gap for D2D operation.

The gap configuration information may further include information for configuring a transmission power level when transmitting a D2D signal of the UE.

In addition, the gap configuration information may further include information for configuring a time period in which D2D signal transmission of the UE is allowed. For example, assume that a gap for D2D operation for a specific UE is configured to a subframe 1 through a subframe 4. In this case, the UE may be allowed to transmit the D2D signal in all of the subframe 1 through the subframe 4, but may also be allowed to transmit the D2D signal only in some subframes, for example, only in subframes 2 and 3. In this case, the information for configuring the time period in which D2D signal transmission is allowed may indicate the subframes 2 and 3. If the information for configuring the time period in which the D2D signal transmission is allowed is not configured or is incorrect, the time period in which the UE can transmit the D2D signal within the gap for D2D operation may be regarded as a predetermined value.

Upon receiving the gap configuration information, the UE may stop receiving of a downlink signal transmitted by the network in the ‘gap for D2D operation’ configured by the gap configuration information (S184). For example, the UE may stop monitoring of a control channel such as a PDCCH in the gap period for D2D operation.

The UE performs the D2D operation with respect to another UE (i.e., a UE 2) in the gap period for the D2D operation (S185).

Although not shown in FIG. 18, if the D2D operation is complete before the gap for D2D operation completely expires, the UE may immediately inform the network that the use of the gap for D2D operation is complete.

Alternatively, even if the D2D operation is complete before the gap for D2D operation completely expires, the UE may not inform the network that the use of the gap for D2D operation is complete. The network may run a timer at the same time of starting the gap for D2D operation for the UE, and if the timer expires, may recognize that the gap for D2D operation for the UE also expires. According to this method, an additional report message from the UE may be unnecessary.

Alternatively, if the D2D operation is complete before the gap for D2D operation completely expires, the UE may report to the network that the use of the gap for D2D operation is complete. A start point of the reporting may be a time at which the gap for D2D operation is complete. That is, even if the D2D operation is complete before the D2D gap for D2D operation expires, it is reported to the network that the use of the gap for D2D operation is complete only at a time when the gap for D2D operation expires. In this case, the UE may inform the network whether the D2D operation is complete. Accordingly, the network may determine whether the gap for D2D operation needs to be additionally configured.

In the aforementioned method, the gap for D2D operation is configured in such a manner that the UE transmits the gap request information to the network, and in response thereto, the network transmits the gap configuration information. Hereinafter, an example of configuring the gap for D2D operation autonomously by the UE is described.

For a specific time period, the network may determine a maximum ratio between the gap for D2D operation and total subframes that can be used by the UE and may report this to the UE.

The specific time period may be configured on the basis of a moving window. For example, if the specific time period is 10 ms, that is, 100 subframes, the moving window may correspond to 100 subframes after a current subframe.

The UE may be allowed to autonomously configure subframes to be used in the gap for D2D operation within a range not exceeding the maximum ratio in the moving window.

The specific time period may be configured based on a consecutive time period having a specific period. For example, it may be configured such that the specific time period is repeated with a period of 100 ms.

The maximum time may be determined for the total sum of times that can be used by the UE as the gap for D2D operation during the specific time period. The maximum time may be configured in advance or may be configured by the network. The maximum time may be configured as a ratio (%) for the UE, and in this case, the ratio is defined as a ratio of the maximum time and the specific time.

The network may determine the maximum number of gaps for D2D operation as to the specific time period, and may report this to the UE. In this case, the UE may autonomously configure one or a plurality of gaps for D2D operation within the maximum allowed number of gaps for D2D operation.

Further, a maximum period of one gap for D2D operation may also be configured in advance or may be configured by the network. The UE may autonomously configure the gap for D2D operation within a range not exceeding the maximum period value.

The UE may not be allowed to configure again the gap for D2D operation before a specific gap expires after the gap for D2D operation is configured. In this case, the specific time may be referred to as a prohibit period. The prohibit period may be configured in advance or may be configured by the network. The UE may configure again the gap for D2D operation only after the prohibit period expires.

The configuration regarding the gap for D2D operation or whether the gap for D2D operation can be configured autonomously by the UE may be applied differently for each UE or for each frequency. The network may report a frequency band in which the UE can autonomously configure/generate the gap for D2D operation. The network may report the maximum number of configurations of the gap for D2D operation for each frequency.

The network may report whether the UE can autonomously configure the gap for D2D operation through a broadcast signal or a dedicated signal for a specific UE.

Hereinafter, how to configure a gap for D2D operation by a UE is described from a perspective of the UE to which a D2D resource is configured. Hereinafter, the UE may be a UE in which only the D2D resource is configured without having to exchange a gap request message and a gap configuration message with respect to a network.

FIG. 19 shows a D2D operation of a UE according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 19, the UE receives information regarding a D2D resource pool from a network (S191).

For example, the UE may receive information regarding a D2D discovery resource pool that can be used in D2D discovery from the network. The D2D discovery resource pool may include at least one subframe in a time domain and at least one resource block in a frequency domain.

The UE receives, from the network, gap configuration information indicating whether or not the UE is allowed to configure the gap (S192). The gap configuration information may consist of 1 bit and may be configured for each UE. The gap configuration information may be provided separately from or together with information regarding a D2D resource pool. The gap configuration information may be provided through a higher layer signal such as an RRC message. Hereinafter, it is assumed in FIG. 19 that the gap configuration information allows the UE to autonomously configure the gap.

The UE configures a gap for D2D operation (S193).

The UE stops receiving of a downlink signal in the gap for D2D operation (S194).

The UE may not read a downlink signal (e.g., a PDCCH) of a serving cell in subframes belonging to the D2D discovery resource pool and in one subframe each before and after the subframes, on the basis of information regarding the D2D resource pool. The downlink signal (e.g., the PDCCH) of the serving cell may not be read in subframes belonging to a D2D discovery resource pool of a neighboring cell and in one subframe each before and after the subframes.

The UE performs the D2D operation with respect to another UE in a gap period for the D2D operation (S195).

The D2D operation may include at least one of D2D signal transmission/reception for D2D communication and D2D signal transmission/reception for D2D discovery.

FIG. 20 shows an example of a D2D resource pool of FIG. 19 and a gap for D2D operation and configured by a UE.

In FIG. 20, a D2D resource pool 201 and gaps 202, 203, and 204 for D2D operation are illustrated. The D2D resource pool 201 may be a D2D discovery resource pool used in D2D discovery.

For example, in FDD, if the UE has only one reception function unit and must receive a D2D discovery signal in a frequency band of an uplink carrier, the UE may not transmit a downlink signal in the subframes 202 belonging to the D2D discovery resource pool 201 and in the subframes 203 and 204 respectively before and after the subframes 202, in the uplink carrier and a downlink carrier linked by system information.

In the above example, a measurement gap subframe which is a time period in which PDCCH monitoring is not performed for inter-frequency measurement may be excluded. Further, reception of a paging signal may have a higher priority than reception of a D2D signal.

FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing a UE according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 21, a UE 1100 includes a processor 1110, a memory 1120, and a radio frequency (RF) unit 1130. The processor 1110 implements the proposed functions, procedures, and/or methods. For example, the processor 1110 may receive information regarding a D2D resource pool from a network, and may perform a D2D operation with respect to another UE in a D2D resource indicated by the information regarding the D2D resource pool. In this process, a gap in which a downlink signal transmitted from the network is not received may be configured autonomously by the UE on the basis of the D2D resource.

The RF unit 1130 coupled to the processor 1110 transmits and receives a radio signal.

The processor may include Application-specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), other chipsets, logic circuits, and/or data processors. The memory may include Read-Only Memory (ROM), Random Access Memory (RAM), flash memory, memory cards, storage media and/or other storage devices. The RF unit may include a baseband circuit for processing a radio signal. When the above-described embodiment is implemented in software, the above-described scheme may be implemented using a module (process or function) which performs the above function. The module may be stored in the memory and executed by the processor. The memory may be disposed to the processor internally or externally and connected to the processor using a variety of well-known means. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for a device-to-device (D2D) operation performed by a terminal in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving, from a serving cell, gap configuration information indicating whether or not the terminal is allowed to configure a gap autonomously; receiving information regarding a D2D resource pool; and performing the D2D operation with respect to another terminal in a D2D resource indicated by the information regarding the D2D resource pool, wherein, if the gap configuration information indicates that the terminal is allowed to configure the gap autonomously, the terminal autonomously configures the gap, wherein the gap comprises at least one subframe included in the D2D resource, and wherein, in the configured gap, the terminal does not monitor a control signal transmitted from the serving cell and performs only the D2D operation.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the D2D resource comprises at least one subframe in a time domain.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the gap further comprises a subframe comprised in the D2D resource and one subframe each before and after the subframe.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the D2D operation is D2D signal transmission for D2D communication.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the D2D operation is D2D signal transmission for D2D discovery.
 6. A terminal for performing a device-to-device (D2D) operation in a wireless communication system, the terminal comprising: a radio frequency (RF) unit configured to transmit and receive a radio signal; and a processor operatively coupled to the RF unit, wherein the processor is configured to: receive, from a serving cell, gap configuration information indicating whether or not the terminal is allowed to configure a gap autonomously; receive information regarding a D2D resource pool; and perform the D2D operation with respect to another terminal in a D2D resource indicated by the information regarding the D2D resource pool, wherein, if the gap configuration information indicates that the terminal is allowed to configure the gap autonomously, the terminal autonomously configures the gap, wherein the gap comprises at least one subframe included in the D2D resource, and wherein, in the configured gap, the terminal does not monitor a control signal transmitted from the serving cell and performs only the D2D operation. 